PICTURED: Zombie blades, axes and bayonets among a host of knives surrendered in Thames Valley Police operation

Thames Valley Police has revealed pictures of some of the knives surrended as part of its Operation Sceptre.
Thames Valley PoliceThames Valley Police
Thames Valley Police

CLICK THE LINK ABOVE OR THE ICON IN THE MAIN IMAGE TO VIEW A GALLERY OF THE KNIVES SURRENDED TO THAMES VALLEY POLICE

Sceptre is a national campaign to reduce knife crime and Thames Valley Police has been playing its part by placing special surrender bins in 16 police stations across the force’s area.

According to figures from TVP, knife crime increased by 28% in the past year. These statistics reflect offences recorded between June 2016 and June 2017, compared against the previous year June 2015 and June 2016.

In total 172 knives were handed in during the week long campaign which ran from 12 February. Items ranged from bread and Stanley knives through to bayonet with scabbards, Zombie knives and an axe.

Chief Inspector Helen Roberts, the officer responsible for coordinating Operation Sceptre at Thames Valley Police, said: “Knife crime ruins lives. Carrying a knife can result in you committing a serious crime and having to live with the consequences – also you are four times more likely to be a victim of knife crime if you carry a knife. You might feel a sense of being invincible when you carry a knife, but that isn’t the case, you are likely to make risky decisions and as a result put yourself in dangerous situations.”

A number of other proactive activities were undertaken to tackle knife crime as part of Operation Sceptre. Working with licensees, knife arches were put in place in clubs as a condition of entry into the premises.

Working in partnership with Trading Standards, officers conducted a number of test purchase operations. Police Cadets, all under the age of 18, attempted to buy a knife from a range of retailers. During one of the operations, three of the ten retailers tested sold a knife to the underage Cadets. The retailers were provided with advice from Thames Valley Police and are being investigated by Trading Standards.

Chief Inspector Roberts went onto say: “We continue to work hard to deliver a number of activities to reduce knife crime across the Thames Valley. Knife surrender bins and test purchase operations are such activities which we included in a high profile Knife Crime Action week in February.

“If you need to report a knife related crime to the Police, please call 101 or dial 999 in an emergency if there is an immediate danger to life.”